Quenching and straightening device for heat treating machine

ABSTRACT

A quenching and straightening mechanism for parts having rows of tined projections includes a blade having a thickness equal to the distance between the rows of tines and teeth, mounted on the blade, and having widths equal to the distance between the tines in a row. An air cylinder drives the blade between the rows of tines and the teeth between the tines as the parts are quenched.

United States Patent Inventor Thomas G. Eannarino Park Ridge, Ill.

Appl. No. 728,992

Filed May 14, 1968 Patented Feb. 2, 197] Assignee Teletype Corporation Skokie, Ill. a corporation of Delaware QUENCHING AND STRAIGHTENING DEVICE FOR HEAT TREATING MACHINE 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 266/5, 148/131 Int. Cl C2ld 1/10 Field of Search 266/4E, 5, 5E,6PC, 2, 2A;219/10.69, 10.79; 148/131, 153, 155

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,303,200 5/1919 Hemming 266/6(Clamp) 2,484,238 10/1949 Molloy 219/10.79X 3,268,218 8/1966 Eannarino..... 266/5 256,898 4/1882 Jacobs .1 266/6 Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-John S. Brown Attorneys-J. L. Landis and R. P. Miller ABSTRACT: A quenching and straightening mechanism for parts having rows of lined projections includes a blade having a thickness equal to the distance between the rows of tines and teeth, mounted on the blade, and having widths equal to the distance between the tines in a row. An air cylinder drives the blade between the rows of tines and the teeth between the tines as the parts are quenched.

PATENTEU FEB 2197: 3,559,9 9

INVENTOR THOMAS G. EANNARINO Mum 041d? ATTORNEY QUENCIIING AND STRAlGI-ITENING DEVICE FOR HEAT TREATING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Modern manufacturing processes frequently require the heat treating of accurately formed parts. Rapid quenching of such parts can cause them to be distorted to such an extent that they must be reworked or scrapped. Accordingly, a need exists for a method of quenching parts and simultaneously assuring the accuracy of critical dimensions thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the preferred embodiment a combined quenching and straightening mechanism is constructed for use with parts having rows of spaced tines formed on them, and includes a metal blade having a thickness equal to the distance between the rows. a plurality of metal teeth mounted on the blade and having widths equal to the spacing between the tines, and .means for driving the blade between the rows of the tines, and the teeth between the tines of a part to be quenched.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a heat treating mechanism employing the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the device shown in FIG. 1 in which certain parts have been broken away more clearly to illustrate certain features of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing a portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1 in an actuated condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, and referring particularly to FIG. 2 thereof, there is shown a heat treating mechanism including an upper die shoe 11 having an upper quenching die 12 mounted on it and a lower die shoe 13 having a lower quenching die 14 mounted on it. A pair of Y-shaped part supporting members 16 and 17 extend from the lower quenching die 14, and are normally supported in the position shown by a pair of spring-loading members 18 (only one of which is shown). A part P of a type having rows of spaced tines T extending from it is supported by the part supporting members 16 and 17 between the upper quenching die 12 and the lower quenching die 14. A plurality of straightening or aligning pins 20, as is best shown in FIG. 1, are positioned in accordance with the general outline of the part P and extend upwardly from the lower quenching die 14. The upper quenching die 12 is provided with a plurality of pin receiving holes 21 (only one of which is shown) for receiving the tips of the pins 20. The upper quenching die 12 and the lower quenching die 14 are provided with cutaway areas 22 and 24, respectively, for receiving the tines T of the part P.

A single-turn induction coil 30, comprised of a unitary length of a conductive material such as brass or the like, is mounted for pivotal movement from the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1 to the position shown in dashed lines therein, this movement being permitted by a pair of slots 31 and 32 formed in the coil 30 for receiving the supporting members 16 and 17, respectively. The coil 30 includes a body of insulating material 33, which serves to impart rigidity to the coil 30, and a handle 34, which may be used to move the coil 30 from the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1 to the position shown in dashed lines therein, and vice versa.

A combined tine quenching and straightening mechanism 40 is positioned at the right-hand end of the heat treating mechanism 10 and includes a rectangularly shaped body 41 mounted for reciprocatory movement with respect to the lower quenching die 14 under the action of an air cylinder 42 that is connected to the body 41 by a rod 43. and that is supported on the lower die shoe 13. The body 41 is guided in its movement by a pair of guide members 44 and 45. A blade 46, having a thickness equal to the spacing between the rows of tines T on the part P, extends from the body 41. and a plurality of teeth 47 each having a thickness equal to the distance between an associated pair of adjacent tines T, extend upwardly and downwardly from the blade 46.

OPERATION In use, a part P having tines T projecting from one of its ends is positioned on the supporting members 16 and 17, and the coil 30 is moved to the position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1. The coil 30 is then energized with high-frequency induction heating current so that the part P is heated to a desired temperature. Upon completion of the heating of the part P, the coil 30 is moved to the position shown in FIG. I and the upper quenching die 12 is driven into engagement with the lower quenching die 14. This action compresses the spring loading members 18, thereby moving the supporting members 16 and 17 into the lower quenching die 14 and the part P into engagement with the pins 20 which serve to maintain critical surfaces of the part P in proper orientation during the quenching operation. The dies 12 and 14 are both formed from a material that is highly conductive of heat, such as steel or the like, so that the movement of the upper quenching die 12 into engagement with the lower quenching die 14 serves to both quench the part P and to prevent it from warping in a longitudinal direction.

After the upper quenching die 12 is in engagement with the lower quenching die 14, the air cylinder 42 is actuated to drive the body 41 to the left. This action moves the blade 46 between the rows of tines T of the part P in the manner shown in FIG. 3, and simultaneously moves the teeth 47 between the individual tines T of the part P. Like the dies 12 and 14, the body 41 is formed from a material that is highly conductive of heat, such as steel or the like, so that this action simultaneously quenches the tines T of the part P and maintains the alignment thereof.

Although only one embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown but is capable of modification, rearrangement and substitution of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A heat treating mechanism for irregularly shaped parts having rows of spaced tines projecting from them comprising:

a first quenching die having pins projecting from it positioned in the general outline of the part to be quenched;

a second quenching die having pin receiving cavities formed in it in alignment with the pins of the first die;

means for supporting a part between the first and second dies;

means for moving the dies into engagement with each other to quench the part thereby forcing the part between the pins to simultaneously straighten the part;

quenching means mounted for movement between the rows and tines of the part when the dies are in engagement with each other; and

means for moving the quenching means into engagement with the part when the dies are in engagement with each other to simultaneously quench and straighten the part.

2. The heat treating device according to claim 1 wherein the quenching means includes metal members having dimensions equal to the correct spacing between the rows and tines of the part and wherein the quenching means moving means forces the metal members between the rows and tines of the part to maintain the rows and tines in proper orientation with respect to each other.

3. The heat treating device according to claim 2 wherein the metal members are comprised of a blade having a thickness equal to the correct spacing between the rows on the part and a plurality of teeth mounted on the blade and having widths equal to the spacing between the tines on the part.

4. In a heat treating device of the type including quenching dies. a support for positioning parts between the dies. means for heating parts positioned between the dies and means for clamping heated parts between the dies to quench the parts. the combination with the dies of means for quenching the tines of parts having rows of spaced tines projectingfrom them including,

a member mounted for movement to a position between the rows of tines.

a plurality of members mounted for movement to positions between the tines; and

means for moving all of the members to their respective positions when the part is clamped between the dies.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the mem-. bers are formed from metal and have dimensions equal to the spacing between the rows and tines respectively so that the members simultaneously quench and maintain the alignment of the tines.

6 The combination according to claim 5 wherein the plurality of members are mounted on the member mounted for movement between the rows for movement therewith.

7. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the member mounted for movement between the rows is a blade having a thickness equal to the spacing between the rows of tines and wherein the plurality of members comprises teeth having thickness equal to the spacing between the tines. 

1. A heat treating mechanism for irregularly shaped parts having rows of spaced tines projecting from them comprising: a first quenching die having pins projecting from it positioned in the general outline of the part to be quenched; a second quenching die having pin receiving cavities formed in it in alignment with the pins of the first die; means for supporting a part between the first and second dies; means for moving the dies into engagement with each other to quench the part thereby forcing the part between the pins to simultaneously straighten the part; quenching means mounted for movement between the rows and tines of the part when the dies are in engagement with each other; and means for moving the quenching means into engagement with the part when the dies are in engagement with each other to simultaneously quench and straighten the part.
 2. The heat treating device according to claim 1 wherein the quenching means includes metal members having dimensions equal to the correct spacing between the rows and tines of the part and wherein the quenching means moving means forces the metal members between the rows and tines of the part to maintain the rows and tines in proper orientation with respect to each other.
 3. The heat treating device according to claim 2 wherein the metal members are comprised of a blade having a thickness equal to the correct spacing between the rows on the part and a plurality of teeth mounted on the blade and having widths equal to the spacing between the tines on the part.
 4. In a heat treating device of the type including quenching dies, a support for positioning parts between the dies, means for heating parts positioned between the dies and means for clamping heated parts between the dies to quench the parts, the combination with the dies of means for quenching the tines of parts having rows of spaced tines projecting from them including: a member mounted for movement to a position between the rows of tines; a plurality of members mounted for movement to positions between the tines; and means for moving all of the members to their respective positions when the part is clamped between the dies.
 5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the members are formed from metal and have dimensions equal to the spacing between the rows and tines respectively so that the members simultaneously quench and maintain the alignment of the tines.
 6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the plurality of members are mounted on the member mounted for movement between the rows for movement therewith.
 7. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the member mounted for movement between the rows is a blade having a thickness equal to the spacing between the rows of tines and wherein the plurality of members comprises teeth having thickness equal to the spacing between the tines. 